


Afresh

by starprise_entership



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/F, episode tag: ‘skin of evil’, just pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 11:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14768358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starprise_entership/pseuds/starprise_entership
Summary: Deanna’s the first person Tasha sees when she wakes up in Sickbay.





	Afresh

Deanna’s serene, smiling face is there to greet Tasha as she wakes up.

“You’re alright now.” Deanna whispers, her voice low and soothing. Her hand gently clasps Tasha’s, and she runs the pad of her thumb comfortingly across the back of Tasha’s hand. “You’re safe with us.”

“Deanna,” Tasha gets out, her mind still hazy. “We saved you.”

Deanna nods. “You’re still recovering, so don’t try to move just yet. Not until Doctor Crusher gives the all clear.”

“Recovering? From what?” Tasha racks her mind for the specific memory. Yes, that was it, the last thing she remembered before blacking out. There was the vague electrifying jolt against her skin where Armus had slapped her, and then having the breath knocked out of her as she was blown into the air.

“Armus attacked you,” Deanna explains, confirming Tasha’s suspicions. “We had to bring you back from the brink. It seemed like you weren’t going to make it at some point.”

Tasha grits her teeth and sighs, almost coming out as a hiss. “It’s my fault that I was reckless,” laments Tasha. “All I could think of was saving you.”

“Oh, Tasha–“ interrupts Deanna, her eyes starting to water, “You couldn’t have known what was going to happen. It wasn’t your fault.”

“But you all had to worry. And work so hard to get me back here.” Tasha blinks hard and she folds her free arm across her stomach. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Deanna assures. “But it’s important that we’re both alive and back here where it’s safe.”

“Yeah.” Tasha gives Deanna’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I don’t know what I could have done if we couldn’t save you.”

“Same here, on my end.” Deanna leans forward and strokes Tasha’s hair lightly. “I can’t lose you, Tasha. You’re too precious to me.”

Tasha swallows the tears which are starting to well up. “Thank you, Deanna.”

They spend a few moments in silence, listening to the beeping and whirring of the medical equipment.

“You’re in the clear, Tasha,” announces Doctor Crusher, emerging from her office. “We won’t have to keep you for any further monitoring.”

“Thank you.” Tasha pushes herself off from the medical bed, and shakes her hair out as she takes a second to get used to standing again. “Thank you all.”

“I’ll walk you back to your quarters.” Deanna speaks up, her hand still neatly tucked within Tasha’s. “Shall we?”

The trip back, is mostly uneventful. As Deanna leads her by the hand, she can’t help but look back on how lucky she was to survive the attack. She’s never going to take walking down the Enterprise corridors for granted again.

“Shall I come in?” Deanna offers, when they approach Tasha’s quarters.

Tasha keys in the code into the keypad, and steps aside to allow Deanna to enter. “Please do.”

“You’ve got very nice quarters,” remarks Deanna, standing in the centre of the room. “I love the way you’ve arranged your decorations.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever given that much thought.” Tasha mentions. “Want anything from the replicator?”

“Oh, not for tonight.”

Tasha orders herself a glass of warm water, and then heads for the sofa. “Do sit with me,” suggests Tasha, patting the seat next to her.

“I’d be delighted to.” Deanna settles on the sofa, making herself comfortable. Tasha’s heart skips a beat when Deanna leans into her shoulder and she links her arm through Tasha’s. There’s a lingering thought at the front of her mind, a thought that’s been there since the away mission.

_It was my main motivation for wanting to save her. I can’t pass up this chance, can I?_

“There’s something I’d like to tell you.” Tasha says, quietly.

“Yes?” hums Deanna, her tiny form curled up on the sofa.

“I kept telling myself that I had to say this to you. When I could.” Tasha pulls away slightly so that her eyes meet Deanna’s. “And I almost couldn’t because we nearly lost each other.”

“Time is precious, indeed.” There’s a hint of a smile on Deanna’s face. “What was it that you so desperately wanted to tell me?”

“Deanna,” Tasha takes a breath, steadying herself for the words to come, “I think I’m starting to fall in love with you.”

Deanna’s gentle smile spreads into a full grin. “I thought you were going to say that. It was just a matter of time before it came out.”

“Well, you’re the one at an advantage here with your empathic abilities. You probably knew from the start.”

“Yes, maybe I did.” Deanna leans in and presses her forehead against Tasha’s.

“And so you were leading me on?” Tasha playfully teases.

Deanna gives a small chuckle. “I’ll admit, my cues weren’t the most obvious. But you learned to pick up on them after some time.”

“What kind of cues? I don’t think I’ve managed to catch any of them.”

“May I kiss you, Tasha?”

Tasha’s heart flutters in her chest. “Oh, please do,” she pleads, her voice coming out in a shaky whisper.

“You’ve been waiting for this a long time, I can tell,” giggles Deanna.

“Aren’t you going to kiss me?”

“Patience, Tasha.”

Tasha waits with curious expectation for Deanna to stop her teasing and finally move in. Deanna’s lips move against hers so tenderly that it takes Tasha continues to savour the moment, eyes still closed, after they pull away.

Deanna’s serene, smiling face is still there when Tasha’s eyelids flutter open, and they spend the night finding comfort in each other’s presence.

 


End file.
